Phalaenopsis orchid plant named  &#39;Summer Love&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Summer Love’ particularly characterized by flowers which are yellow/green with some purple/red stripes with a purple/red labellum; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Phalaenopsis hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Summer Love’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Summer Love’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summer Love’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, Rene Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summer Love’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Lawrence’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Little Gem Stripes’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summer Love’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in November, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Summer Love’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. flowers which are yellow/green with some purple/red stripes and a purple/red labellum;

2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;

3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture;

4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and

5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Summer Love’, the female parent ‘Lawrence’ has yellow flowers and the male parent ‘Little Gem Stripes’ has pink striped colored flowers, whereas the flowers of ‘Summer Love’ are yellow/green with a purple/red labellum.

Presently, there is no other commercial cultivar to which ‘Summer Love’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Summer Love’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Summer Love’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Summer Love’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Summer Love’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Summer Love’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Summer Love’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Summer Love’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Summer Love’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Summer Love’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Summer Love’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Summer Love’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Summer Love’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Lawrence’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Little Gem Stripes’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 4 mm-7             mm wide and green in color (RHS 191B and 143D); freely             branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue             culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 40 cm to 60 cm Spread: about             35 cm to 45 cm.         -   Growth habit.—small; green leaves and a relatively normal             raceme.         -   Vigor.—moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 peduncles with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—oval, the tip is pointy and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—3 to 4 pairs of leaves.         -   Mature leaf length.—about 15 to 30 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—about 6 cm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—about 1.5 mm.         -   Mature leaf color.—upper side: green (RHS 137B). Under side:             green (RHS 146A and RHS 137D). Edges, veins and a haze of             purple (RHS N79A) and greyed/purple (RHS 187A).         -   Leaf base.—acute.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel Color of midvein: upper side:             green (RHS 137A) under side: purple (RHS N79A) and             greyed/red (RHS 178A). -   Raceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—about 1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—about 5 to 18.         -   Length.—about 30 to 60 cm.         -   Diameter.—about 4 mm.         -   Strength.—strong.         -   Aspect.—upright.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—grey/brown (RHS 199A) and grey/green (RHS 197A).         -   Internode.—Length: about 25 mm to 35 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 18 mm Diameter (at             midpoint): about 9 mm to 17 mm Shape: egg-shaped Color: main             color is yellow/green (RHS 146B) which runs out into RHS             145A/RHS 144C.         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2             racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers             per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected             approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a             leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—no fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: see FIG. 2 Size:             Height: about 40 mm to 70 mm Diameter: about 60 mm to 80 mm             Depth of tube: about 5 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: six petals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals Arrangement: Inner whorl of             petals comprises 3 petals, 2 lateral petals and labellum. 2             lateral petals: Overall shape: broadly ovate and weakly             cupped Apex: oval Margin: entire and weakly undulate Base:             broadly ovate Length: about 32 mm Width: about 30 mm             Texture: Upper surface: smooth and satiny Under surface:             smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened): upper side:             main color is yellow/green (RHS 150D). At the base some             white (RHS NN155C). Close to base a purple mark (RHS N78B).             Under side: main color is yellow/green (RHS 150D) with at             the base some white (RHS NN155C). Labellum: Overall shape:             3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central junction of             the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of             labellum fold upward about the column; the midlobe extends             forward and is terminated by 2 short filiform appendages at             the apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape             while the midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it             Margin: entire and weakly undulate Apex: oval Length: about             18 mm Width (not flattened): about 13 mm Texture: Upper and             under surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened):             Midlobe: upper surface: main color is red/purple (RHS 61A).             At the base little white (RHS NN155C) and some yellow/orange             (RHS 14B). Same yellow/orange also on the sides. Close to             the chirri some purple (RHS N78A) and some white (RHS             NN155C) Under side: in the center white (RHS 155C) from base             to end. Sides at the base are red/purple (RHS 71B) and             yellow/orange (RHS 14B). Further red/purple (RHS 72B).             Lateral lobs: upper surface: at the base white (RHS NN155A).             Small yellow edge on the side (RHS 14B) which runs into             red/purple (RHS 61A) and purple (RHS 72A). In the center             some red/purple (RHS 59A) and yellow (RHS 14B) stripes.             Under side: white (RHS NN155A) with purple (RHS 72A) and             yellow (RHS 15A) on the sides. Chirri: small (about 2 mm)             color: white (RHS NN155C) and purple (RHS N78A) Pestle             (Callosities): Length: about 5 mm Width (not flattened):             about 4 mm Color: main color is yellow (RHS 6B) with some             white (RHS NN155C) and red/purple spots (RHS 61A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall             shape: elliptical and weakly cupped Margin: entire and             weakly undulate Length: about 35 mm Width: about 24 mm Apex:             dorsal: oval; lateral: oval and little pointy Texture: Upper             and under surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully             opened): upper surface: dorsal and lateral: main color is             yellow/green (RHS 150D) at the base white (RHS NN155C).             dorsal has some faded red/purple veins (RHS 71B). Lateral             has red/purple spots and stripes (RHS 61A). Under surface:             dorsal and later: main color is yellow/green (RHS 150D)             which fades into RHS 145C. At the base some white (RHS             NN155C). At the lateral sepals some red/purple stripes (RHS             71 B). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 7 mm Diameter: about 5 mm Color: white             (RHS 155C).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: two Diameter: about 1 mm Color:             yellow/orange (RHS 23A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 3 mm Diameter: about 2 mm Color: white             (RHS NN155B).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 25 mm to 35 mm Diameter: about 3 mm             Texture: glabrous and smooth Color: turns from yellow/green             (RHS 146C) into RHS 145C to white (RHS 155C). -   Disease/pest resistance/susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Summer Love’, as illustrated and described herein. 